Do a Perfect Squat
There's more than one type of squat you can work into your routine to train for The Perfect Squat. Outside Magazine guides you along a four-squat circuit to get your lower body, back and core flexible and strong enough to correctly perform this king of exercises. Four-Squat Circuit:Grab a stick or unweighted bar for Depth Squats; a medicine ball and wall for Target Squats; two dumbbells for Split Squats; then face the wall with a kettlebell or dumbbell to aim for perfect technique in the Wall Squat. Master this squat circuit and your stronger glutes and core will improve in both speed and form.
How often do you really test your balance? Adults rarely skitter across balance beams or jump from rock to rock -- that's kid stuff, unless you're hiking. Yet in order to retain good balance, we need to practice losing it in a controlled manner. To activate those smaller, stabilizing muscles in your knees, ankles and hips, try balance training on unstable surfaces such as:
Rocker boards -- A flat board with a base design capable of tilting forward/back or side to side. Good board to start on.
Wobble boards -- A trickier board that teeters 360 degrees. I used one often after a knee surgery. Pick up one of these and wobble like a Weeble during phone conferences at work. Practice enough and you won't fall down.
Indo Boards -- Even tougher, this skateboardish platform slides on top of a plastic roller. Be safe, the roller can turn into a projectile, and so can you. Start slowly and have a chair or spotter standing by. When the board is balanced, you're "in trim" and likely getting trimmer.
Most of us meet Mr. Rocker Board at the physical therapist's office. Beyond better fitness, strong stabilizers are a smart insurance plan against injury or re-injury. Stick with these balance training tools and avoid those therapy bills.
If you're keeping up with the fitness trends, you'll have noticed that Kettlebells are all the rage these days. Made of cast-iron and shaped like tea pots, these fitness accessories are the newest 'must have' in your home gym, and it's not because they look so cute. They'll turbo-charge your workout (and your heart-rate) and give you more than your money's worth.
OK, so you're interested, but what do you actually do with these hunks of weight? Simple -- squats, dead-lifts and curls. Once you've got the hang of the kettlebell, you can try some specific kettlebell workouts. Here are a few helpful sources to get you started:
The Kettlebell Fat Burning Workout from Nutrition Data
A review of the Kettlebell Workout from the Times Online
The Total Body Kettlebell Workout from Women's Health
As for prices? You're looking at anywhere from $25 to $125 per kettlebell, but it's money well-spent if you ask me.